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Slovakia
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{{Infobox_Country
|native_name = ''Slovenská republika''
|conventional_long_name = Slovak Republic
|common_name = Slovakia
|image_flag = Flag of Slovakia.svg
|image_coat = Slovakia Coat of Arms.png
|image_map = LocationSlovakia.png
|national_motto = none
|national_anthem = ''
Nad Tatrou sa blýska''
("Storm Over the Tatras")
|official_languages =
Slovak language Slovak
|capital =
Bratislava
|latd=48|latm=08|latNS=N|longd=17|longm=06|longEW=E|
|largest_city =
Bratislava
|government_type =
Parliamentary democracy
|leader_titles =
President of Slovakia PresidentPrime Minister of Slovakia Prime Minister
|leader_names =
Ivan GaÅ¡paroviÄ?Mikuláš Dzurinda
|area_rank = 128th
|area_magnitude =1 E10
|area= 49,036
|areami²=18,933
|percent_water = Negligible
|population_estimate = 5,431,363
|population_estimate_rank = 103rd
|population_estimate_year = July 2005
|population_census = 5,379,455
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density = 111
|population_densitymi² =287
|population_density_rank = 67
|GDP_PPP = $85.14 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 61st
|GDP_PPP_year= 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $15,700
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 46th
|sovereignty_type =
Independence
|established_events = From
Czechoslovakia
|established_dates =
January 1,
1993{{ref|1}}
|HDI = 0.849
|HDI_rank = 42nd
|HDI_year = 2003
|HDI_category =
high
|currency =
Slovak koruna
|currency_code = SKK
|country_code =
|time_zone =
CET
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST =
CEST
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld =
.sk
|calling_code = 421 {{ref|2}}
|footnotes = 1{{note|1}}
Czechoslovakia split into the
Czech Republic and Slovakia (see
Velvet Divorce)
2{{note|2}}Shared code 42 with
Czech Republic until
1997
}}
'''Slovakia''' (
Slovak language Slovak: ''Slovensko'') is a
landlocked republic in
Central Europe. It borders the
Czech Republic and
Austria in the west,
Poland in the north,
Ukraine in the east and
Hungary in the south. Slovakia is a member of the
European Union and has population of more than five million. The capital is
Bratislava.
Name
The long form of the name Slovakia is ''Slovak Republic'' (in Slovak: ''Slovenská republika''). The relation between those two name forms is exactly the same as with for example
Germany vs. Federal Republic of Germany or
France vs. French Republic.
The recent practice, often seen especially in economic texts, of using the name ''Slovak Republic'' instead of ''Slovakia'', when the terms Hungary, Slovenia etc. are used in the same text, is therefore awkward, arising in analogy to the use of the term Czech Republic, but that is (partly) another problem (see
Czech Republic,
Czech lands).
History
''Main article:
History of Slovakia''
Since c. 450 BC, Slovakia was inhabited by
Celts, who built powerful
Enclosed oppidum oppida in
Bratislava and
Liptov. Silver coins with the names of Celtic kings represent the first known use of writing in Slovakia. Since
Anno Domini AD 6, the expanding
Roman Empire maintained a chain of outposts around
Danube. From 20 to 50 AD, the Kingdom of
Vannius, a barbarian kingdom founded by the Germanic tribe of
Quadi, existed in western and central Slovakia.
Slavic peoples Slavic population settled in the territory of Slovakia in the 5th century. Western Slovakia was the centre of
Samo's Empire in the 7th century. A proto-Slovak state, known as the
Principality of Nitra, arose in the 8th century and its ruler
Pribina had the first Christian church in Slovakia consecrated by 828. Together with neighboring
Moravia, the principality formed the core of the
Great Moravia Great Moravian Empire since 833. The high point of this (Proto-)Slovak empire came with the arrival of
Saints Cyril and Methodius during the reign of Prince
Rastislav and the territorial expansion under King
Svatopluk I Svätopluk.
After the disintegration of the
Great Moravia Great Moravian Empire in the early 10th century, Slovakia became a part of the
Kingdom of Hungary in the 11th through 14th centuries. Due to its high level of economic and cultural development, Slovakia also retained its important position in this new state. For almost two centuries, it was ruled autonomously as the Principality of Nitra and the Nitrian Frontier Duchy. Slovak settlements extended for long to the northern half of present-day Hungary, while the ethnic composition of present-day Slovakia itself became more diverse due to arrival of
Carpathian Germans Germans (since the 13th century),
Vlachs (since the 14th century), and
Hungarians (since the late Middle Ages).
A huge population loss resulted from the invasion of
Mongols in 1241 and the subsequent famine. However, medieval Slovakia was characterized rather by burgeoning towns, construction of numerous stone castles, and development of art. In 1467,
Matthias Corvinus founded the first university in Bratislava, but the institution was short-lived.
After the
Ottoman Empire started its expansion into present-day Hungary in the early 16th century, the center of the Kingdom of Hungary (under the name of
Royal Hungary) shifted towards Slovakia, and Bratislava (known as ''Pressburg/Pressporek/Posonium/Posony'' at that time) became its capital in 1536. But the
Ottoman wars and frequent insurrections against the
Austrian Habsburgs Habsburg dynasty also inflicted a great deal of destruction, especially in rural areas. As the Turks retreated from Hungary in the 18th century, Slovakia's influence decreased.
During a
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas revolution in 1848-49, the Slovaks supported the
Austrian Emperor, with the ambition to secede from the Hungarian part of the Austrian monarchy. But they eventually failed to achieve this aim. During the period of the
Austria-Hungary Austro-Hungarian Empire, from 1867 to 1918, the Slovaks experienced severe oppression in the form of
Magyarisation promoted by the Hungarian government. For example, all three Slovak high schools and
Matica slovenská were closed down in 1874-1875.
In
1918, Slovakia joined the regions of
Bohemia and neighbouring
Moravia to form
Czechoslovakia. During the chaos following the breakup of Austria-Hungary, a
Slovak Soviet Republic was created for a very brief period. During the Interwar period, democratic and prosperous Czechoslovakia was permanently threatened by revisionist governments of Germany and Hungary, until it was finally broken up by the
Munich Agreement of 1938, when Slovakia became a separate
Slovak Republic (WWII) state that would be tightly controlled by
Nazi Germany. However, the anti-Nazi resistance movement launched a fierce armed insurrection, known as the
Slovak National Uprising, in 1944. After
World War II, Czechoslovakia was reassembled and came under the influence of the
Soviet Union and its
Warsaw Pact from 1945 onward. In 1969, the state became a federation of the Czech Socialist Republic and
Slovak Socialist Republic.
The end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia in
1989, during the peaceful
Velvet Revolution, was followed once again by the country's dissolution, this time into two
successor states. Slovakia and the
Czech Republic went their separate ways after January 1,
1993, an event sometimes called the
Velvet Divorce. Slovakia became a member of the
European Union in
May 2004.
''See also:''
History of Bratislava
Geography
Image:Slovakia_topo.jpg thumb|Relief
''Main article:
Geography of Slovakia''
The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its mountainous nature, with the
Carpathian Mountains extending across most of the northern half of the country. Amongst them are the high peaks of the
Tatra mountains, where High Tatras are a popular
skiing destination and home to many scenic lakes and valleys as well as the highest point in Slovakia, the
Gerlachovský Å¡tÃt at 2,655 metres (8,711
foot (unit of length) ft). Lowlands are found in the southwestern (along the
Danube) and southeastern parts of Slovakia. Major Slovak rivers, besides the
Danube, are the
Váh and the
Hron.
The Slovak
climate is
temperate climate temperate, with relatively warm summers and cold, cloudy and humid winters.
Image:Tatras_valley.JPG 200px|thumb|View of a valley in the Tatras
Demographics
''Main article:
Demographics of Slovakia''
The majority of the inhabitants of Slovakia are ethnically
Slovaks Slovak (86 %).
Hungary Hungarians are the largest ethnic minority (10 %) and are concentrated in the southern and eastern regions of the country. Several municipalities,
Dunajská Streda,
Komárno,
Å ahy,
Želiezovce etc., have a Hungarian majority. Other ethnic groups include
Roma (people) Roma,
Czech people Czechs,
Rusyns Ruthenians,
Ukrainians and
ethnic German Germans. The percentage of Roma is 1.7% according to the last census (that is based on the own definition of the Roma), but around 5.6% based on interviews with municipality representatives and mayors (that is based on the definition of the remaining population). Note however that in the case of the 5.6%, the above percentages of Hungarians and Slovaks are lower by 4 %age points in sum.
The Slovak constitution guarantees
freedom of religion. The majority of Slovak citizens (68.9 %) practice
Roman Catholicism (although church visits percentage is much lower); the second-largest group are people without confession (12.96 %). About 6.93 % belong to
Lutheranism and 4.1 % are
Greek Catholic,
Calvinism has 2.0 %, other and non-registered churches 1.1 % i.e., Eastern Catholic and some 0.9 % are
Eastern Orthodox. About 2,300
Jews remain of the estimated pre-WWII population of 120,000. The official state language is
Slovak language Slovak, a member of the
Slavic languages, but
Hungarian language Hungarian is also widely spoken in the south and enjoys a co-official status in some regions.
In
2004 Slovakia had a fertility rate of 1.25 (i.e., the average woman will have 1,25 children in her lifetime), which is one of the lowest numbers among EU countries. The fertility rate is currently increasing.
Politics
''Main article:
Politics of Slovakia''
Image:Bojnice_Castle.JPG Bojnice.html" title="Meaning of 250px 250px|thumb|[[Bojnice Castle, the only one of its design in Eastern Europe.html" title="Meaning of thumb|
250px|thumb|[[Bojnice Castle, the only one of its design in Eastern Europe">thumb|[[Bojnice">250px|thumb|[[Bojnice Castle, the only one of its design in Eastern Europe
Slovakia is a parliamentary democracy. Two rounds of
Presidential election in Slovakia 2004 Presidential elections took place on April 3, 2004 and April 17, 2004. The Parliamantary elections are scheduled for June 17,
2006.
The Slovak
head of state is the president, elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term. Most
executive (government) executive power lies with the
head of government, the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the major party or a majority
coalition in parliament and appointed by the president. The remainder of the
cabinet (government) cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.
Slovakia's highest
legislative body is the 150-seat
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic (''Národná rada Slovenskej republiky''). Delegates are elected for four-year terms on the basis of
proportional representation. Slovakia highest
judiciary judicial body is the Constitutional Court (''Ústavný súd''), which rules on
constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by parliament.
Slovakia is a member state of the
European Union since May 1, 2004 and of
NATO since March 29, 2004. As a member of the
United Nations (since 1993), Slovakia was, on October 10, 2005, for the first time elected to a two-year term on the
UN Security Council for 2006-2007. Slovakia is also a member of
WTO,
OECD,
OSCE, and other international organizations.
''See also:''
List of rulers of Slovakia
Administrative divisions
''Main article:
Regions of Slovakia''
As for administrative division, Slovakia is subdivided into 8 ''
kraje'' (singular - ''kraj'', usually translated as regions, but actually meaning rather county), each of which is named after their principal city. As for territorial division and the definition of self-governing entities, since 2002, Slovakia is divided into eight Upper-Tier Territorial Units (sg. ''vyššà územný celok'', pl. ''vyššie územné celky'', abbr. VÚC) called ''samosprávny kraj'' (Self-governing (or: autonomous) Region):
Image:Slovakiakrajenumbers.png right|350px
#
Bratislava Region (Bratislavský kraj) (see also
Bratislava)
#
Trnava Region (Trnavský kraj) (see also
Trnava)
#
TrenÄ?Ãn Region (TrenÄ?iansky kraj) (see also
TrenÄ?Ãn)
#
Nitra Region (Nitriansky kraj) (see also
Nitra)
#
Žilina Region (Žilinský kraj) (see also
Žilina)
#
Banská Bystrica Region (Banskobystrický kraj) (see also
Banská Bystrica)
#
Prešov Region (Prešovský kraj) (see also
Prešov)
#
Košice Region (Košický kraj) (see also
Košice)
(the word ''kraj'' can be replaced by ''samosprávny kraj'' in each case)
The "kraje" are subdivided into many ''
okresy'' (sg. ''okres'', usually translated as districts). Slovakia currently has 79 districts.
See also:
*
List of traditional regions of Slovakia
*
List of tourism regions of Slovakia
Image:Lo-map.png Map of Slovakia|300px|thumb|Map of Slovakia
Economy
''Main article:
Economy of Slovakia''
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The Slovak government made progress in
2001 in macroeconomic stabilisation and structural reform. Major
privatisations are nearly complete, the
banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in the early 2000s, despite
recession in key export markets.
Revival of domestic demand in 2002, partly due to a rise in real wages, offset slowing export growth to help drive the economy to its strongest expansion since
1998. Solid domestic demand boosted
economic growth to 4.4 % in
2002. Strong export growth, in turn, pushed economic growth to a still-strong 4.2 % in
2003, despite a downturn in household consumption. Thе estimated GDP growth was around 5.7 % in
2005. It was the highest rate from the
Visegrád group. It is expected to reach at least 6 % in 2006, and 6.5 % in 2007. The growth in Slovakia's gross domestic product, which reached 7.5 percent p.a. in real terms in the fourth quarter of
2006 according to the Statistics Office estimate, came as a surprise to local analysts, given that big foreign investors, such as Peugeot or Kia have not launched their production yet.
Unemployment, rising from 14.9 % at the end of 1998 to 19.2 % at the end of 2001 (seasonally adjusted harmonised rate) during the radical reforms introduced by the Slovak government since 1999, decreased again to 11.8 % (January 2006).
Inflation dropped from an average annual rate of 12.0 % in 2000 to just 3.3 % in the election year 2002, but it rose again in 2003-2004 due to necessary increases in taxes and regulated prices. Nonetheless,
Consumer price index CPI fell below 3 % in 2005.
Slovakia plans to adopt the
Euro currency on
1 January 2009 and has already entered the
European_Exchange_Rate_Mechanism ERM for this purpose (
Slovak euro coins).
Slovak crown reached its new historical maximum value in
1 March 2006, with the day's best exchange rate against the reference currency the euro reaching 36.940 SKK/EUR
In a survey of the German
Chamber of Commerce held in March 2004, as much as 50 % of German enterpreneurs chose Slovakia as the best place for investment.
Culture
''Main article:
Culture of Slovakia''
*
Music of Slovakia
*
Slovak literature
*
Slovak national weapon
Holidays
*
National holidays in Slovakia
*
Remembrance days in Slovakia
Miscellaneous topics
*
Coat of Arms of Slovakia
*
Communications in Slovakia
*
Economy of Slovakia
*
Education in Slovakia
*
Foreign relations of Slovakia
*
History of ice hockey in Slovakia
*
List of national parks of Slovakia
*
List of rivers in Slovakia
*
List of rulers of Slovakia
*
List of Slovaks
*
List of tourism regions of Slovakia
*
List of towns in Slovakia
*
List of traditional regions of Slovakia
*
Military of Slovakia
*
Ski and winter sports in Slovakia
*
Slovak euro coins
*
Transportation in Slovakia
Further reading
* ''A History of Slovakia : The Struggle for Survival'' Stanislav Kirschbaum
* ''Axis Slovakia: Hitler's Slavic Wedge, 1938-1945'' Mark W. A. Axworthy
* ''Blue Guide: Czech and Slovak Republics'' Michael Jacobs
* ''Insight Guide: Czech & Slovak Republics'' Alfred Horn
* ''Lonely Planet World Guide: Czech & Slovak Republics'' Neil Wilson, Richard Nebesky
* ''My Slovakia: An American's View'' Lil Junas
* ''The Rough Guide: Czech and Slovack Republics'' Rob Humphreys
* ''Slovakia: The Heart of Europe'' Olga Drobna, Eduard Drobny and Magdalena Gocnikova
* ''Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon'' Julius Bartl and Dusan Skvarna
* ''Slovakia: A Photographic Odyssey'' Eugen Lazistan, Fedor Mikovic, Ivan Kucma and Anna Jureckova
* ''The Slovak Republic: A Decade of Independence, 1993-2002''
* ''Slovakia Since Independence : A Struggle for Democracy'' Minton F. Goldman
* ''World War II: OSS Tragedy in Slovakia'' Jim Downs
External links
{{sisterlinks|Slovakia}}
-
The Slovak Republic Government Office
-
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic
-
Cultural profile of Slovakia by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
-
Národná Rada - Slovak parliament official website
-
Slovak president official website
-
Slovakia.org - guide to Slovakia
-
Bratislava - the capital city of Slovakia
-
Detailed demographic profile of Slovakia from the Encyclopedia of Nations published by Thomson Gale
-
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
-
CIA World Factbook - Slovakia
-
Google satellite map of Slovakia
-
The Slovak Spectator
-
Your guide to Slovakia
-
Discover the beauties of Slovakia
-
Slovakia Tourism from The Slovak Tourist Board
{{EU countries}}
{{NATO}}
{{Europe}}
{{Visegrád group}}
Category:Landlocked countries
Category:Slovakia
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